Innocent Life
by Labores Lunaris
Summary: Chapter 2 up! Sasha, Eric, Vincent, Louis and Gavin are about to graduate from middle school when the day suddenly goes horribly wrong. Sasha's house is on fire and the school's in lock-down for real! Why is all this happening? And who is this "Mr. X?"
1. Chapter 1: Love Letters

_Hiiii everybody! Wow, only a handful of chapters in and I almost abandon my poor fic-y :( Ah well, least I got back to it! I actually started re-writing it five weeks ago, but I got bored again (confounded adolescent attention span), and just a few days ago my computer blew up. Not literally (though that would have been pretty damned awesome); I had a bunch of corrupted registry entries which were causing every web-page I visit to be littered with Vimax ads, so I delete the entries... and boom, no more computer for me! And I couldn't really back anything up because 1) I wasn't expecting that to happen, and 2) reformatting Windows means deleting the "My Documents" folder, so everything got taken away with that... That kind of inspired me to pick this up again, because now I have a reason to start over, and I don't wanna be one of those people that comes up with a decent plot and then stops writing! No one wants to be in suspense forever .  
Excuses out of the way, I present to you the new-and-improved fic! With a new beginning, new title, and a new prologue which I will write... eventually..._

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**Chapter 1: Love Letters  
**

**- Eric -**

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. There is no sound I find more annoying than the sound of my alarm every morning. With a grunt, I roll over and find myself face-to-face with the floor. After dragging myself off to have the coldest shower of my life, I went down to the kitchen to fetch myself a bowl of Fruit Loops.

"Cheer up a little, Eric! It's the last day of your second-last week of school!" Mom says. Not like I was _trying_ to hide my exasperated look. "I called the AC repairman last night, and he said he would have cool air back in circulation in three days."

"Three days?!? Mom, we've been living in this furnace for over a week now! Why can't he just come over right now?" I reply. We may be a farming family with barely any money to boot, but in the middle of Summer, it's a good idea to call the air-conditioner repair-guy the instant the AC goes down.

"They were going to charge extra for coming early. Remember Eric, it's summer, and a lot of other people need repairs done as well. But they can afford to have a spot early in the agenda..."

"Whatever. I'm going right to school after I feed the cattle." Shoving the last few spoonfuls into my mouth and nearly throwing my bowl into the sink, I grab my backpack and open the front door to take a breath of the fresh morning air.

My life's pretty simple for your average farm guy. I'm fourteen years old, I'm in grade eight and going to graduate from elementary school next week. I have a small class, a fair amount of friends, and I'm an Aquarius. I have five classmates my age in my class, and only one of them is a girl. I respect her for being able to survive the whole year when her friends are in other classes. Need I say more?

After I finished filling up the cows' feeding bins, I took a second to check my watch. 7:35 ALREADY?!? I'm gonna miss the bus!

**- Sasha -**

"Good morning, miss Sasha!" Alfonse says as I climb into the Lamborghini.

"Hey Al!... where's Charlie?" I ask. Charles is my most dependable chauffeur; 364 out of 365 days a year, he'd be here in the Lamborghini my parents order to pick me up and drive me somewhere. This was the third day in a row he hadn't shown up.

"I'm sorry to be the one to tell you, Miss Sasha, but Charles is... dead," Alfonse replied, a rather bleak look on his face, from what I could see in the front mirror. "Heart attack, the poor man. Which means I'll be driving you for the remainder of the two school weeks."

My usually happy-peppy summer mood worn out with this news, Alfonse shifts the gear to "reverse" and scoots out of our massive driveway to take me to school.

I honestly don't understand why my parents are so against me going to private school. Let alone get me some private tutors or something! My father was the rich one and he married a "common" woman, and now he insists that I should have the full experience a normal kid should have. Don't get me wrong, my mother is a wonderful person, it's just that I don't particularly enjoy being the rich girl in such a poor school. Everyone insists on going to your place, having the party at your place, etc. What's worse is that I really don't care for most of the kids that demand they be my friend; they only like me for my money.

I'm just glad my classmates aren't so bad when it comes to the topic of money. They don't really envy me, which is nice. They don't take advantage of me either, which is even better. Instead, they've taken to annoying me, the only girl in grade eight in our class. The rest of the girls are in grade seven and tend to keep to themselves. Yes, the four pains in my butt have been... well, pains in my butt, but they've also been really fun to be around this past year. I'll really miss Eric, Vincent, Louis and Gavin when we split off to go to different high schools.

Even though there's only one week left of my grade-eight life after this Friday, there's still a group of kids that stick around the school's driveway to gawk as I step out of the Lambo. I say a quick "thanks, Al!" before my only real, non-materialistic friend greets me: Rebeca.

**- Gavin -**

"It's official!" I announce to my small group of friends as I step into the small field beside the school. "Since I can't announce my love for her, I will write a letter!"

"Aw, not again!" my best friend Travis says. He's been strongly opposed to my massive crush on Sasha since day 1... which was in October. Now it's June, we're about to graduate from Elementary school and I still haven't confessed my love to Sasha yet. Long as she doesn't know, it'll be all the better when I tell her...

"Come on, man, you know that she already knows you like her," Travis says, interjecting my thoughts.

"I'm not writing the letter for you this time," my other friend, Leah, speaks up. "The last fifteen times you chickened out and recycled the letters. Even after I put so much work into them!"

"I'll pay you twenty bucks," that bribe worked twelve times before, it should now.

"You drive a hard bargain..." Leah says, looking pensive. "Deal. What style you want this time; do you want me to compare her to celebrities or natural stuff?"

"I'll go for the natural," I reply. Sure, I'd used that one a few times before, but it's not like Sasha ever got to reading the letters... right?

- Vincent -

"Remember that time we took the letter out of the recycling bin and gave it to Sasha to read? That was hilarious!" I say as Eric joins Louis and I. "Hey, Eric! We were just basking in the old times..."

"Remember that time we took the letter out of the recycling bin and gave it to Sasha to read?" Louis repeats, directing the question at Eric.

"Ya. That seriously wasn't cool of you guys. Expressing someone else's feelings isn't fair to-"

"And the lover boy speaks!" I interrupt. "Come on, just ask her out already. Gavin's been too scared to for the past 8 months."

"I don't think it's fair to move in on someone else's territory," Eric replies.

"Please, that territory might as well be vacant," Louis interjects.

RIIIIING. RIIIIIIING. The morning bell goes off.

"Whoot! Off to homeroom!" I say with sarcastic enthusiasm. I could tell that simply because this was the last day of education that this was going to be a long day. A very, _very_, long day...

**- Louis -**

Could class possibly be any more boring? I've been spending the last ten minutes having a stare-down with the clock. I mean, it's the second-last Friday of school, and the French teacher insists on teaching us stuff we already know! As she starts re-explaining why these French verbs end in whatever, and those French verbs end in another whatever, I keep staring at the clock.

_It's sort of shaped like a pizza... I wonder what's for dinner tonight? I hope we have pizza. I like pizza. But not with mushrooms, because cooked mushrooms taste weird... I wonder why Mario gets super powers by eating mushrooms. That's some pretty weird fungus, that's what I think. What the hell are Goombas really, anyways? They're shaped like mushrooms, and they move... they have no arms either. It would suck to have no arms. I wonder-_

My random thoughts are interrupted by the phone ringing. The teacher walks over and picks up the phone.

"Mlle Martineau!" she says in her chime-like, French-accented voice, a grin on her face. After a few seconds, her smile fades. "Sasha, c'est pour toi," she says.

Puzzled, Sasha gets up and takes the receiver from the teacher.

**- Sasha -**

_"Your house is blazing and your parents are stuck inside."_

**TO BE CONTINUED **(Dun dun dun!)

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_So... that was a better read, right? I decided to get rid of the villain's pasts because it beats-around-the-bush too much and I could just as easily put those into another fic. Since I only just rewrote this, the next few chapters could take a while. The first time I tried to write them, my ideas got all garbled up and I ended up with a few _very_ awkward chapters. But I know what I'll write this time, and I'll make it worth all the time I left you guys hanging!_

**~L.L.**


	2. Chapter 2: Burning Hearts

_Oh, my! I'm sorry this took so long to write; while every other school is having mid-term exams, my school's just got massive amounts of homework (we don't have semesters). I've set myself a two-week deadline per chapter so I'll actually get these things done. This week I had to make an exception because I had a math summative, math test, math review, science test, geography project and an English project to write. Not to mention I'm getting braces this Saturday, so my dentist stuck elastics in my teeth on Wednesday. Story of my life over... here's chapter 2!_

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**Chapter 2: Burning Hearts  
**

**- Sasha -**

"Your house is blazing and your parents are still inside," the office secretary's voice buzzed in my ear. My head felt hollow for a few seconds as the words echoed in my head. What just happened?

"Sorry, could you repeat that?" I reply. Not that I want to hear those sick words again; it's just that it sounded so... surreal.

"Your house is blazing and your parents are still inside," the lady says, this time more slowly and emphasizing the enunciation. The words weren't echoing this time. It was more like a rock was ricocheting inside my head.

"WHAT?" I say, a little louder than I actually intended. I can hear a few heads turn and feel the numerous pairs of eyes on my back, but I don't turn back.

"It's all over the news right now. The fire department is doing their best to put out the fire and rescue your parents. There are a few policemen here to take you to the station, should..." her last few words trail off, but I already know the end of her sentence: _should they die or be dead_.

"I'm so sorry," the secretary's voice brings me back to reality. I hear the phone on the other end click, then silence.

"What kind of sick joke is this?" I say into the dead receiver. "Even the Prank Patrol wouldn't stoop to this level." I manage to keep my voice from cracking during those last few words, but I can't stop the tears welling up in my eyes now. Why was this happening? What did daddy or mum do to deserve this? What did _I _do?

The questions in my head suddenly feel overwhelming and reality feels distant. It takes me a few seconds to realize that the floor is rushing at me...

**- Gavin -**

I can't believe it. God has given me a chance to get closer to Sasha! I don't know what she heard through that phone, all I know was that she looked like she was going to faint. And guess who sits closest to the phone? Me, of all people!

I catch her halfway through her fall, a victorious smile spread across my face. This was _my_ time to shine, and pretty-boy Eric wasn't getting in my way this time!

After a minute, I find myself not enjoying this nearly as much as I thought I would. Sasha just felt so fragile in my arms, and she wasn't crying. Heck, she wasn't _moving_. Just the steady rise and fall of her chest proved she was still alive and breathing.

She suddenly pushes away from me, startling me. But I definitely wasn't ready for what she was about to say:

"When will it get through your thick, numb skull that _I don't like you back_? Your constant questions are annoying, you follow me everywhere, and you're so scared of me you can't find any opportunity to show your so-called love until I'm in a state of weakness! My parents could be _dead_! I don't need your 'loving' embrace, I need my parents alive!"

She stormed out of the room after that. If only she could see the storm brewing in my heart...

**- Sasha -**

I can still barely grasp what's going on. All I remember is seeing red, blood red, when I realized it was Gavin I had fallen into. I remember a lot of yelling, and almost tripping out of the room. At least I got out in time to hide my tears.

**- Eric -**

Wow. Never before, in my entire life, did I think that mere words would reduce Sasha to a state near fainting. I thought I would be happy to see her blow off Gavin like that. Then she'd be open territory for the taking.

And yet, I feel like the words she yelled at Gavin could have also been directed at me. At that moment where her knees nearly buckled under, I had really wished I was the one there to catch her. That she would bury her face in my arms and cry her eyes out, and I could croon "what's wrong?" and she'd tell me so I could tell her "it's going to be all right." But that wouldn't have happened, because she would have just dissed me and ran off.

Gavin just stood there and stared at the floor for a while. He looked pretty shaken. Feeling sort of empathetic, I stand up and decide to go give him a pat on the shoulder. But when I reach to pat him, he shakes me off. His face starts contorting with rage.

"This is _your_ fault!" he says, his voice dripping with acidity.

"How is it my fault?" I reply, practically on reflex. What had _I_ done wrong?

"You've been after her, too! I know you've been! You showed her the letters, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?!?" Gavin's face is starting to turn red; things are starting to take a turn for the worst. I'd better calm him down before he does something...

"Look man, _I_ wasn't the one who agreed to showing her those love letters," I threw an angry glance at Louis and Vincent. They looked excited, like they _wanted_ to see a fight break out or something. They'd better be rooting for me, if I can't calm down Gavin. "... but I wasn't trying to take her or anything. I respect that you've been meaning to ask her out for... eight or nine months now, and I've stayed away. If anything, you brought this upon yourself."

"So you think it's _my_ fault she hates me?!" Okay, that last line I said was a big mistake. Gavin raises his fist and takes a step towards me.

**- Louis -  
**

Finally, the ultimate showdown between the two lover-boys was about to begin! Finally, Gavin and Eric battling it out to see who deserves Sasha! As Gavin takes a step towards Eric, Eric backs away. Poor Eric's always been such a softy. The guy wouldn't survive a fight, even if it was only Gavin.

Things were about to get physical when the teacher finally came to her senses. She must have been so shocked, she couldn't have said anything before. Now, she was screaming (and in English, too. Not something you hear our French teacher doing every day):

"STOP IT! Stop right now boys, or I'll send you both down to the office!"

One thing was for sure: she wasn't expecting Gavin, the teacher's pet, to react the way he did: "You and what army?" and he takes another threatening step towards Eric.

"I'll take the right, you take his left arm," Vincent whispers to me before standing. Looks like the lover-boy brawl will have to be postponed until there isn't such a large audience. I get up with Vin and we both make a dive for Gavin before he can hurt Eric.

"What are you guys doing?! Let go of me!" Gavin yells as he struggles to get out of our grips. I'm just thankful _I'm_ the jock of this class, and not him, or this would have hurt.

The teacher gets up to call the office. But just as she reaches for the phone, the office secretary's voice booms from the speaker:

"This is a lock-down. I repeat, this _is_ a lock-down!"

**- Vincent -**

Weird. I don't remember any of our teachers warning us about a lock-down practice any time this week. But Gavin was still struggling and making as much noise as he could (some of it quite vulgar), so Louis and I couldn't really move. Eric was still standing there, probably feeling guilty that Louis and I had to intervene.

As the other classes scrambled to complete the usual lock-down procedures, we were as unprepared as ever. A grade-seven kid tried to go close the door and turn out the lights, but Gavin literally snapped at him, so the kid ran off and hid under his desk. Things started to quiet down when more voices started coming from the speaker on the wall:

"Now Miss, if you could please put that strange contraption down on the floor nice and slowly... yes, like that. Now we can talk like more civilized people," a man's voice said. I didn't recognize it at all, so it must have been the source of the lock-down. Hold on... that means this was a real lock-down!

"AAAAH!" I scream in realization. I end up accidentally letting go of Gavin, who takes advantage of his free arm to throw a punch at Eric's left cheek. Eric just barely dodges. Gavin then pauses as more voices come from the speaker, louder this time:

"Where can we find these kids?!" a second man half-asks, half-demands. Though quietly, I can hear paper ruffling as something is passed from one person to another. Then I hear a very peculiar sound: a low rumbling. I could swear that sounded like growling!

The office secretary gives a small yelp before answering: "R-room C-F-four. L-l-last on the-e right. Now please don't hurt me!" she sounded like she was really scared. This couldn't have been a ruse to make things sound more realistic... could it?

"Thank you for your help Miss, have a nice day," the first man says. Following the last statement is that sickening sound you hear in the movies when someone gets their throat slit by a villain.

"Unicycle-man, was that really necessary?" a third man asks, his voice a little shrill, and he put a lot of emphasis on the s's...

"Of course it was, cat-boy," the 'unicycle-man' sneers at the 'cat-boy.' After this exchange, the sounds of pounding feet echo through the speaker. Then there was silence.

It was a very long, tense silence. Then it hit me:

"C-FOUR?! That's our classroom!"

**- Sasha -**

"Don't worry sweetie, the firefighters should have your house put out by now," the woman in the passenger's seat of the police car says to me. I give a muffled "hmph" in response as we drive on.

"I'll even drive by to prove it to you!" the other officer says in his Texan accent. I respond with another "hmph." This was so typically cliché; the fact that they're feeding me lies and false hope meant something was about to go horribly wrong. I could feel it.

As we turn off the highway to my street, I can see a massive pillar of smoke in the distance. I can feel my stomach doing somersaults inside me. I hope the flames are out and that's just some side effect...

We're getting closer. The smoke is still billowing out. I feel like I'm about to faint just from the anticipation. I swear every second is slowing to a snail's pace...

Then I saw it. In the place of my house was an inferno. Just a massive ball of flaming wood. The officer in the front seat gasps as he sees that his prediction was totally wrong.

"Oh my! I'm sorry sweetie, would you like us to turn back now?" the officer in the passenger seat offers. Come on, we just come by my flaming house - which is supposed to put out by now - and she expects me to _want_ to just turn tail and run?

"No!" I scream. There were the tears again. Since I was in the company of complete strangers, I decided not to hold them back this time.

As my vision blurred from the crying, the ball of flame continued to grow as the car came in closer. As we pull through the police lines, the driver turns off the ignition and steps out to ask the Chief Firefighter if my parents were out. Judging by the way his face contorted when he responded, things were not good.

I can't take it anymore. I want my parents back!

So I unbuckle myself and bolt out the door before the other cop has enough time to protest and break off into a sprint towards what was once my home.

"Hey kid, stop!" I here one of the firefighters yell as he notices me running across the front lawn. As if his words are going to stop me now!

Since the front double-doors have burnt half-way to the ground, I crash through what's left of them and make my way to the front foyer. Rather, what's _left_ of it. All the expensive tapestries and paintings that were once adorning the walls proved to be nothing but fuel for the inferno engulfing my home. Over-priced coffee tables burned. Over-priced fur coats burned in the closet. The over-priced plants were burning... and now my eyes were burning!

The damn smoke kept me from really seeing anything. But I know my house inside-out, so I bank towards what I think is the kitchen. I hear a cracking noise and risk a glance up. I shy away just in time before a bunch of flaming debris cuts through the floor in front of me!

The flames start eating away at my clothing while I run through the house. I stopped caring at this point; what's a little fabric and skin compared to my parents' lives?

When I reach the dining room, I find what I was looking for: my parents. But I can't figure out why they're not moving. They're not dead, are they?

As smoke and tears sting my eyes, I come in closer. Just then, axe-wielding firefighters break through the wall to my left. Without thinking, I break into a sprint. I just want to see my family alive, please...

As the distance between myself and my unmoving parents closes, I see why they can't move: they've been tied with steel ropes to a post. I start screaming and trip and fall right by my mother's limp body. As flaming splinters rake away at my face, I steal a glance upward.

And I find myself face-to-face with the burning face of my step-mother.

**TO BE CONTINUED  
**

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_Mwehehe, how's that for a cliff-hanger? Think I'm starting to get the hang of these (pun unintended)! Honestly, I had most of this written a week ago. I decided leave my computer alone for five minutes, then the stupid Windows Update kicked in and I lost most of what I'd written because I didn't press the save button. Morale of that story: SAVE. But hey, this version turned out better anyways ^.^ I'll get started on chapter 3 tonight and hopefully have it up two weeks from now... the One Piece characters will be properly introduced this time :)_

_'Til then! ~_L.L


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